12th June 2009 "Arambh Hai Prachand"

Once again 7 CRY volunteers in Thane are leading the way in showing how meaningful action for Child Rights begins with each one of us.

12 June 2009 was a Friday. A working day. And yet volunteers took a day off to launch the Campaign Against Child Labour in Thane.

At 11.30 Ashutosh Vaidya, one of the core group working on this campaign, was addressing 15 Zilla Parishad employees in the Primary Education Department. “We believe that every child should be in school and that it is our responsibility to work to ensure that this happens”, he said. “Those children who are currently Child Labour need to be rehabilitated in a manner that addresses the real reason why they are not in school. Until we do this, we will not be able to ensure that the children of our country get their basic rights. If you agree with our demands and our movement then please stand with our placards so we can take your photograph, which will be like a signature saying you stand with us in our campaign.”

What happened next was something volunteers had not expected at all. ALL employees came forward, stood as a group and gave us the first photo signature of our campaign! As we left several reassured us of their constant support and efforts to ensure that children in our country get their Right to Education.

This was only the beginning. Volunteers went to the Women and Child Welfare Department, the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan section, the President of the Zilla Parishad. At each place they were granted time and space to present their asks and to mobilise the department for a photo signature. At each place people asked questions about the campaign, offered their point of view, and committed to raising a voice against Child Labour and for education. The Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan section shared information with the volunteer team regarding various issues they have come across in their work. For instance, they expressed their frustration that more children seem to want to go to non –government schools despite the fact that many ZP schools offer quality schooling. They agreed with volunteers that these schools need to be encouraged and we need to be able to build a system that ensures this kind of quality schooling in all government schools.



The President of the Zilla Parishad encouraged the volunteers and assured them of her full support in striving towards education for all children.

For the next 6 weeks volunteers will continue to get photo signatures from celebrities, government officials, students, working people….as many people as possible. “When many of us believe in the same thing and stand up for what we believe, we can make sure that change happens.” It is with this belief and faith, that the Child Labour Campaign was launched.